Since the start of the phased introduction of the new border control system in the European Union last October, over 27,000 people have been denied entry to the bloc, the European Commission said Saturday. Of those denied entry, around 700 posed a direct security threat.
“Over 52 million entries and exits have been registered since the start of implementation. The Commission welcomes today’s full rollout of this new EU Entry and Exit System (EES),” reads the statement.
Thanks to the new automated control, registering a passenger takes an average of 70 seconds, significantly speeding up the procedure.
The system replaces stamping passports and allows for the recording of personal and biometric data, making it easier to track overstays. The new rules apply to citizens of third countries that are not members of the EU or the Schengen area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), and apply for short-term stays of up to 90 days.
